How to Give Remote Feedback to Your Team

Giving Feedback
Giving feedback so that it is received with understanding and acted upon sincerely is an art. The best managers are expert at giving feedback. Certainly, positive feedback and praise are comparatively easy to express. But employee feedback requiring behavior change and performance improvement can be difficult to convey effectively. Learn how to give remote feedback effectively.

Tips on How to Give Remote Feedback to Your Team
Now that so much work communication is handled remotely, giving effective performance feedback is even more of a challenge. Here are some experience-backed recommendations from new manager training best practices for delivering feedback remotely:

• Begin with Open-Ended Questions not Statements
  How does your employee evaluate their own behavior and performance? Often employees, if asked, will acknowledge their own failings before you need to point them out. At least by asking the question, you will gain some insight into how self-aware they are.
  
• Be Appreciative First
  Employees are often far more receptive to criticism if you also appreciate their positive contributions to the team. Put in the effort to find something specific you can point to that they do well and let them know you have noticed the unique value they bring.
  
• Express Your Support
  Be clear that you want to help them to succeed. Whatever behavioral adjustment they need, it is your job as manager to support their efforts to be the best that they can be. Do they trust that you are willing to work with them and on their side?
  
• Ensure Understanding
  Communicating remotely makes it more difficult to accurately read body language and subtle facial expressions.  You must exert extra effort to be sure that your message has been clearly understood. Check that your employee can articulate exactly what needs to be corrected and why.
  
• Make a Plan
  Work collaboratively to draft a clear, concise, and relevant plan for improvement and to track progress. If your employee requires additional help, look into mentoring, coaching, and management development options to close the gap.  If the problem centers around attitude adjustment, plan a step-by-step approach with check-in reporting and timelines.
  
  You get the idea. Don’t leave the discussion open-ended. Create accountability for an agreed-upon improvement plan.

The Bottom Line
Managing employee performance remotely is not easy.  Performance feedback takes on even greater importance and requires greater sensitivity. Update your feedback technique to ensure your messages are delivered and received effectively.

To learn more about being a better manager, download Do You Have High Performing Managers? The 4 Management Metrics that Matter Most

by Tristam Brown: CEO

Tristam Brown is an executive business consultant and organizational development expert with more than three decades of experience helping organizations accelerate performance, build high-impact teams, and turn strategy into execution. As CEO of LSA Global, he works with leaders to get and stay aligned™ through research-backed strategy, culture, and talent solutions that produce measurable, business-critical results. See full bio.